Food Buyer | Retail | Marks & Spencer

Robinson & Co (Singapore) Pte Ltd; Dubai; On-site; AED 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading retail company in Dubai is seeking a Food Buyer to manage purchasing and stock availability for MENA stores. Responsibilities include planning product orders, achieving KPIs for margins, and collaborating with UK teams to align product strategy. The ideal candidate should have at least 5 years of experience in Food Buying within FMCG companies, strong analytical skills, and proficiency in SAP and Microsoft Office. Join us to make a significant impact in the retail sector.

Qualifications

• 5 years of experience in Food Buying within FMCG companies.
• Experience in food technical and supply chain management.
• Strong negotiation abilities.

Responsibilities

• Plan and order food products to ensure availability.
• Achieve KPI targets for sales and margin.
• Optimize sourcing trends and conduct store visits.

Skills

Financial analysis

Leadership

Interpersonal communication

Microsoft Office

SAP solutions

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration or related field

Tools

SAP

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Microsoft PowerPoint

Job description

Established in the 1930s as a trading business, Al‑Futtaim Group today is one of the most diversified and progressive, privately held regional businesses headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Structured into five operating divisions; automotive, financial services, real estate, retail and healthcare; employing more than 35,000 employees across more than 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa, Al‑Futtaim Group partners with over 200 of the world’s most admired and innovative brands. Al‑Futtaim Group’s entrepreneurship and relentless customer focus enables the organization to continue to grow and expand; responding to the changing needs of our customers within the societies in which we operate.

Overview of the Role

The role of the Food Buyer involves purchasing a variety of food products and materials to ensure availability across MENA stores and cafes. The Food Buyer is responsible for planning and achieving net margins, managing wastage and markdowns, and collaborating with UK teams to align with M&S strategy and sustainability goals. They also focus on category management, store layout, and stock management to maximize market share and profitability.

What You Will Do

Food Operation

• Plan, forecast, and order relevant product categories.
• Ensure all sourced products meet M&S and/or country quality standards.
• Achieve KPI targets for sales, margin, and market share.
• Ensure stock availability in all stores and maintain catalogue count and trends.

Delivery Management

• Research market trends, analyze prices, and review competitors to identify pricing opportunities.
• Create annual category plans for promotions, events, and new product ranges to boost sales and market share.
• Plan and lead product category reviews and benchmarking.
• Support delivery of shared targets across the wider team.
• Optimize sourcing trends and conduct physical store visits for opportunities.

Product Management

• Work closely with the Digital team to update the online platform catalogue and maintain stock availability.
• Supervise Food Category Assistants and liaise with the UK team to manage incoming shipments and avoid stock shortages.
• Coordinate with Marketing, Food Operations, and Stores teams for new product launches and events.
• Collaborate with Logistics to improve supply chain efficiency, reduce lead times, and enhance stock availability in non‑UAE markets.

Stakeholder Management

• Build strong relationships with colleagues within M&S MENA and the UK team.
• Collaborate with AFG Operations, VM, Marketing, Digital, and Store teams to foster effective partnerships.
• Gather 360 feedback to improve interpersonal relationships.

People Development

• Provide regular feedback and recognition to team members.
• Engage and communicate effectively through regular updates and team briefs.
• Define objectives and KPIs for the Category Assistant and manage their development.
• Build a strong training, recruitment, succession, and engagement plan for the team.
• Understand and act on Employee Engagement Survey scores to drive improvement.
• Implement HR policies fairly and consistently.

Required Skills To Be Successful

• Financial and market analysis skills to identify opportunities.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and SAP solutions.

What Qualifies You For The Role

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration or related field.
• At least 5 years of experience in Food Buying within FMCG companies.
• Experience in food technical and supply chain management.
• Proficient in analyzing financial, market, and customer data.
• Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills with strong negotiation abilities.
• Knowledgeable in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and SAP.
• Capable of identifying opportunities, mitigating risks, and working under pressure.
• Results‑driven personality with a focus on teamwork.

About Al‑Futtaim Retail

Al‑Futtaim Retail has established itself as one of the leaders in Retail across the Middle East, Africa & Asia over the past 30 years. We have developed partnerships with some of the biggest and most respected Brands in the world including IKEA, ACE and Toys R Us in the Middle East and the Inditex Group of Brands (Zara, Mango, Bershka and P&B) across Asia. We are also one of the largest Global partners of Marks and Spencer’s in both regions with over 75 stores offering both fashion & food options.

Most recently we have been responsible for bringing brands to the Middle East for the first time with the exciting launches of Watsons and B&Q and we aim to continue to be agile and adaptive to our markets with new launches and further development. For this to be possible we aim to recruit the best talent from all backgrounds who will continue to challenge and develop our diverse workforce which includes over 100 nationalities across 12 countries. Join us today and make a difference…